In Laurinda, Lucy’s mother, Quyen Lam, plays an important role in shaping who Lucy is. Quyen is a hardworking immigrant from Vietnam, and her life teaches Lucy values like family, sacrifice, and staying true to her roots.
Hard Work and Resilience: Quyen works very hard to support her family. She works in a sewing factory, even though it is tough on her body. Her hard work shows Lucy that education and effort are important, but also makes Lucy feel conflicted when she sees how different her family’s struggles are from the wealth at Laurinda.
Cultural Identity and Values: Quyen is proud of her Vietnamese heritage and teaches Lucy to be humble, respectful, and to value family. These traditional values are different from the more Western ways of Laurinda, and Lucy often feels torn between her family’s values and the life at school.
Practicality and Frugality: Quyen is very practical and careful with money. She doesn’t spend on luxuries, which contrasts with the rich students at Laurinda. This difference makes Lucy feel like an outsider at school.
Protective and Supportive: Quyen may seem strict, but she always wants the best for Lucy. She pushes her to do well at school because she believes education is the key to a better life. Though Quyen doesn't fully understand the social world Lucy faces at Laurinda, she supports her with practical advice and love.
Emotional Distance: Quyen can be emotionally distant because her focus is on survival and providing for the family. She doesn’t always show affection the way other mothers might, but her love is clear in her actions and sacrifices.
Sacrifice and Family Duty: Quyen’s character shows the sacrifices that immigrants make for their families to have a better future.
Cultural Identity: Quyen represents the challenge of holding onto one’s cultural background while adjusting to a new society, something Lucy has to face at Laurinda.
Class and Privilege: Quyen’s simple and hardworking life contrasts with the rich and privileged lives at Laurinda, highlighting the class differences that Lucy feels.
Quyen teaches Lucy the importance of staying true to her roots, even when facing a new world of wealth and opportunity at Laurinda. While Lucy sometimes feels the pressure of her mother’s expectations, Quyen’s strength and hard work inspire Lucy to stay true to herself. Their relationship reflects the struggle of balancing family duties with personal dreams.
Quyen Lam is a strong and hardworking mother who shapes Lucy’s journey. She teaches Lucy important lessons about family, culture, and perseverance, and helps Lucy navigate the challenges she faces at Laurinda.
Warwick Lam, Lucy's father in Laurinda, plays a quieter role in her life compared to her mother, Quyen, but he is still important. His character helps show the struggles of immigrant families, the roles of family members, and how traditional gender roles are seen in some families.
Hardworking and Quiet: Warwick works hard, doing jobs like a handyman to support his family. He is less visible than Quyen but is a steady, silent support. His hard work shows the immigrant experience of trying to create a better life for the family.
Traditional Role: In his family, Warwick follows traditional gender roles. He works to provide money for the family but leaves the emotional care to Quyen. This makes him less involved in Lucy’s personal life and creates some distance between them.
Emotional Distance: There is an emotional distance between Warwick and Lucy. He is not as involved in Lucy’s daily struggles or her life at Laurinda, which can make Lucy feel more isolated. However, this distance doesn’t mean he doesn’t care; it’s just a reflection of his role in the family.
Cultural Gap: Warwick, like Quyen, holds traditional values from their Vietnamese background. He has high expectations for Lucy’s success, but his quiet and traditional nature sometimes creates a gap between him and Lucy, who is adjusting to a different world at Laurinda.
Support: Even though he is quiet and emotionally distant, Warwick is still a strong support for Lucy. His hard work and sacrifices make it possible for her to attend Laurinda. His steady presence is important in Lucy’s life, even if she doesn’t always feel close to him.
Immigrant Struggle: Warwick’s life of hard work shows the immigrant experience of working hard to build a better life for the next generation.
Traditional Family Roles: His role as the provider highlights traditional family roles, where fathers focus on providing material support, often without being emotionally involved.
Generational and Cultural Divide: Warwick’s quiet nature and traditional values show the difference between immigrant parents and their children, especially when the children are navigating a different world from their parents.
Warwick’s hard work allows Lucy to attend Laurinda, but his emotional distance can make Lucy feel isolated. His quiet support and sacrifices remind Lucy of the importance of hard work and perseverance, even if they don’t have a close relationship.
Warwick Lam is a hardworking, quiet, and emotionally distant figure who supports his family in the background. He shows the themes of sacrifice, traditional roles, and the immigrant experience, and his steady support is important to Lucy as she tries to navigate her new life at Laurinda.